After losing her husband Mick to asbestos-related cancer mesothelioma in 2001, Chris Knighton vowed that his death would not be in vain. Since then, she has become one of the UK’s most renowned activists for raising mesothelioma awareness and has earned more than £1m on behalf of the Mick Knighton Mesothelioma Research Fund. However, her efforts do not stop there. On June 28, 2012, a ground-breaking new research project will be unveiled in London – The Mick Knighton Mesothelioma Bank UK.
This bank will not only help scientists complete their innovative studies into asbestos cancer, but has already been partnered with the British Lung Foundation to hold research samples of tissue and blood from people with mesothelioma. While there are similar banks to this in the United States and Australia, this will be the first within the UK.
“When we first started, we aimed to raise £100,000 to fund one study. Now we have funded four research studies and this new project,” Chris Knighton told ChronicleLive. “Mesothelioma has affected the lives of many families in the North East due to the legacy of heavy industries on the rivers Tyne, Wear and Tees. Recent figures show that many more people will be diagnosed with asbestos in the future. We feel this is the perfect opportunity to raise awareness about mesothelioma and to highlight the progress that has been made over recent years to find ways of treating the disease.”
For more information about the Mick Knighton Fund, visit www.mkmrf.org.uk.
Source:
ChronicleLive
asbestos, Chris Knighton, mesothelioma, Mick Knighton Mesothelioma Bank U.K., Mick Knighton Mesothelioma Research Fund
